The Inevitable Backlash, Sex For Safety EP

I’m trying to cut these guys some slack, honest. The Inevitable Backlash’s new Sex For Safety EP bears a sticker that says “Featuring Members of Rollins Band + Saccharine Trust,” and technically, that’s true. Kinda. Drummer Jason Mackenroth used to be in Rollins-produced Mother Superior, who backed Rollins on the Get Some Go Again tour, but to me that’s a teeny bit different from actually being in the jazzbo-heavy Rollins Band, which was a whole other animal. Similarly, bassist Chris Stein apparently joined SST oldtimers Saccharine Trust, but that was only fairly recently, for one of the band’s decidedly non-classic albums. (Okay, I haven’t heard ’em, I’ll admit; hell, I didn’t even realize they were still together…)

At any rate, regardless of how kosher the Backlash’s punk cred is, they pull off a decent retro-sounding punk roar, unsurprisingly reminiscent of Black Flag or the Trust, with maybe some back-in-the-day/pre-rockabilly Social Distortion slathered on top. Where the band falls down, though, is when guitarist/songwriter/singer John Renton opens his mouth. The lyrics, to put it bluntly, are godawful. From “He Never Left” (which is about Jesus? Maybe? I dunno…) on through to the closing title track, I find myself cringing when I realize what the heck Renton is singing.

It’s not even the guy’s voice, really, although the quasi-sinister Lou Reed thing gets old after a song or two. It’s the words to tracks like the EP’s lone acoustic number, “Snowstorms,” that make me shake my head in bewilderment. It’s fine to want to pay homage to the SST bands of yore, but keep in mind that they were half-assed and experimental, blazing new trails where none existed before. So yeah, some of the lyrics on those early albums sucked, too. But here’s the thing: that was 20-plus years ago. I’ll take progression over homage any day of the week.